Forever and Always
by BatmanPrincess43
Summary: "The beeps get slower and slower and then stop. A strangled sob wrenches its way out of Wally's body. The arms tighten around him in sympathy. His eyes are streaming now, but he blinks rapidly to clear his eyes and then walks over to Artemis's body." A very sad oneshot - Be warned.


**A/N: I'm so sorry about this crack fic. This is what happens when you have a horrible dream about Young Justice where Wally and Zatanna and Artemis all die and you listen to Parachute at 3 am when you wake up. It's an atrocious story, so cliche it makes me ashamed for writing it, but I needed to get it out. Sorry it's being unleashed on you. **

**Here goes nothing. Based on the song Forever and Always by Parachute (don't let this story fool you, it's actually a great song!)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or _Forever and Always_ by Parachute. **

* * *

Wally's eyes skim the page for what seems like the hundredth time, willing himself to actually remember the information this time; it's no use. He rubs his eyes with his palms and glances at the clock. The red numbers glare at him, telling the red head it's almost three A.M.

He grows even more worried, knowing that Artemis was supposed to have been home by midnight. He's sure she would have called if something had gone wrong, but she had assured him nothing would. It was only a simple training exercise for the new team, something Dick had talked her into.

He knew that it hadn't been a good idea, but he'd been distracted from the absolute joy in her eyes at the prospect of returning to the hero life, if only for one night.

He waits until the clock reads 3:30 before abandoning his physic textbook and walking over to the window to check the driveway. It's still as empty as it had been when she'd pulled out earlier that day, waving goodbye as she drove down the street. By this point he's really freaking out, imagining everything that might have happened to her on the mission.

Finally he can't take it any longer. He has to call someone, anyone, and asks if they've seen her.

First on his list is Zatanna, reasoning that Artemis might have crashed at the magician's apartment if she had been too tired to return home.

"Wally?" a sleepy voice answers after three rings. She sound groggy and out of it, making Wally feel the slightest bit guilty about calling.

"Hey, Zee. Sorry to wake you up, but have you seen Artemis lately?" Wally asks, the pit in his stomach growing larger by the second.

"Artemis? No, I haven't seen her since lunch last Tuesday." she replies, confused at his questions.

Wally exhales loudly, panic freezing his brain.

"Wally?" he hears a voice distantly ask him. "Wally, what's happening? Is something wrong with Artemis?" she asks, her voice rising and growing clearer as the last of the sleepiness is banished by panic.

"Wally!" she screams when he doesn't answer.

"I'm going to have to call you back." he finally manages to get out before hanging up.

He gets the same questions when he calls Rocket and Megan. No, they haven't seen Artemis tonight. Why, they want to know. Is something wrong? they both ask, concerned for both the red head and the blonde.

Wally looks out the window one more time before racing to the bedroom they shared, putting on his old Kid Flash suit in record time. He's just leaving the room when the phone rings. He flashes to it, picking it up anxiously.

"Artemis?" he immediately asks hopefully.

"Wally, something's happened." a voice tells him, a voice that's achingly familiar.

"Dick? What happened? What's wrong with her?" he demands to know, almost vibrating through the floor with pent up energy.

"Meet me at the Tower. You're all cleared." Dick tells him, his voice emotionless. "You should come quickly." is his last remark before the line goes dead.

By this point Wally is in all out panic mode. Strangely, his first thought is about February. He and Artemis had been in the middle of working on a term paper about Vietnamese history when he'd suddenly had the idea that it was the perfect time to propose. He'd gotten down on one knee right there in the living room, watching Artemis as she'd jumped at his sudden movement.

He told her right then and there that he never wanted to be without her. He wanted her forever and always, through the good and the bad and the violent. He hadn't cared that she was in sweats and one of his Kid Flash T-shirts, her hair not brushed or washed and her eyes bloodshot with lack of sleep. To him, she'd never looked more perfect.

She wouldn't admit it, but her eyes had filled with tears even as she berated him for his lackluster proposal. That hadn't stopped her from accepting, of course.

Back in the present, Wally races to the nearest zeta tube in what has to be a new world record for speedsters, waiting impatiently as it recognizes him and gives him access to the Tower.

It takes less than a minute for him to be beamed up. He looks around wildly when he gets to the Tower, looking for his black haired friend. Dick looks up, walking over to him; it's quickly becomes unnecessary as Wally speeds over to him.

"What. Happened." Wally asks, searching his friend's eyes.

Dick sighs heavily, then launches into a thorough explanation of the mission that night, detailing exactly what had happened.

Wally barely hears him, interrupting before Dick is finished speaking, demanding to know where Artemis is. Dick points down a hallway, telling him it's the third door on the left.

He races to it, opening the door with only a moments hesitation to fix his poker face. What he sees still kills him. Artemis is lying on the bed, her hair fanned out on the pillow and her skin looks unnaturally pale.

He makes his way to the bed side, holding his hand entirely too tight. He can barely feel the warmth in it, barely see the tan that used to cover her entire body.

Artemis slowly opens her eyes, smiling wanly when she sees him.

"Wally." she says softly, trying to reach him.

"Shhh. Shh. I'm here beautiful. There's no need to worry." he smiles tightly and blinks away the tears that come to his eyes.

She smiles again, a little bit more weakly than the last time. Even Wally knows that whatever happened to her is fatal. The love of his life is dying, and there's nothing he can do about it.

"Wally… tell.. tell me about.." she stops here to cough, her whole body wracked with the most awful sound he's ever heard. "tell me about us." she finally says, gasping.

And so Wally starts talking.

He starts by talking about how they'd met when they were barely kids. How he'd been so embarrassed by how he'd acted that first day, tripping over his feet in nothing but his swim trunks.

He talks about their first real kiss in that very Tower, exactly at midnight.

He talks about their life right now, the strange schedule they'd adapted during the only normal years of their lives.

He tells her about the proposal. He tells her how happy he was when she'd accepted.

He talks about the life they're going to have when she gets better. How they're going to have kids and live in a giant house on a hill. How their kids will have his eyes and her blonde hair. How they'll be the most stunning kids in the entire world, not to mention how'd they'd both save said world with their amazing aim and speed.

Finally, he talks about how they're going to stay in their house forever. How they're never going to leave for anything; they're simply going to spend the rest of their live together and grow old.

Artemis makes a small noise of contentment as he finishes his tale, moving her hand slightly closer to his. The small movement makes the light glance off of the small diamond ring that rest on her left hand. He suddenly gets an idea.

He races out of the room, telling Artemis to wait. He zips through the Tower like a mad man, gathering all of the heroes currently in the tower and herding them towards Artemis's room. No one argues or protest, they simply fall in line and head towards Artemis.

When everyone is assembled, Wally asks Green Arrow to do the honors, knowing how much it would mean to Artemis. He says the appropriate verses, pronouncing Artemis and Wally man and wife.

Artemis and Wally kiss, earning a few wolf whistles. The room is filled with silent tears and chuckles.

Artemis looks at Wally and he can see the love in her eyes. She's crying and laughing along with everyone else, but she's growing paler by the minute. He borrow the Hawks' rings, sliding one onto the blonde's finger and one onto his own.

He's crying too, and suddenly he needs to tell her everything. So he does. He declares that he'll always love her through everything, no matter what. He vows to grow old beside her, whether he's happy or sad or just whatever. He tells her they'll always love each other, forever and always.

He finishes his vows, watching her as the room grows silent around the newly married couple.

She somehow finds the strength to lift her arm and pull the speedster in for a kiss. When they part she holds his gaze and starts speaking.

She tells him everything she loves about him in short, halting sentences. She tells him she'll always love him, forever and always, even if she's not there. He makes a small argumentative sound in the back of his throat which she silences with a glare. She continues, telling him that it's okay for him to grieve, but he has to move on after her. He barely manages it, but he nods.

The beeps start slowing down as her breathing gets slower. He braces himself uselessly, knowing he'll never truly be prepared for this moment.

He feels the stares of the room before a hand is thrown over his shoulder. He starts, but relaxes when he see it's just Dick. He's joined on the other side by Barry. Slowly, one by one, the League members in the room throw their arms around each other in a show of sorrow.

The beeps get slower and slower and then stop. A strangled sob wrenches its way out of Wally's body. The arms tighten around him in sympathy. His eyes are streaming now, but he blinks rapidly to clear his eyes and then walks over to Artemis's body.

At the same time he closes her eyes, he feels his heart break in half. And he knows, deep down, that he'll love her - forever and always.

* * *

**I'm so sorry. It had to be done. **

**~The Dark Princess**


End file.
